(1) Nature of the Invention
This invention pertains to railway hopper cars and in particular to hopper cars having longitudinally extending discharge openings with elongated gates for opening and closing the hopper. More particularly, this invention pertains to an operating mechanism used to open and close longitudinally extending hopper discharge gates through rotation of a shaft having oppositely threaded sections connected through a linkage with door supporting hangers.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
While the prior art has disclosed some gates that extend longitudinally of the hopper car and provide a floor or bottom to horizontally dispose a discharge opening, the actuating mechanisms used to operate theses doors has not met with widespread acceptance because oftentimes the mechanism includes a complicated mechanical linkage. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,381 (1965) to Charles et al. discloses a longitudinally extending discharge gate and an associated operating mechanism. This complex structure has not met with widespread acceptance because of the cost involved with the materials and the time necessary to install and adjust the mechanism. Further, the Charles et al. mechanism requires the use of costly pneumatic cylinders and associated controls for proper functioning which require periodic maintenance.